Hezbollah’s Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah said that the terror group he leads “is more powerful than the Israeli army” and that both the US and the Zionist entity are “too weak to stage wars like those launched before.”

Speaking from his bunker via video link during a ceremony held at the Ashura Square in Beirut on Tuesday, marking the 12th anniversary of the Second Lebanon War in 2006, Nasrallah claimed that Hezbollah is “stronger than at any time since it was launched.”

Nasrallah congratulated the crowd celebrating what he termed as the “historic victory” in 2006.

“We insist on marking the occasion on August 14 in order to consolidate this victory in our culture and memory and to give hope in face of desperation which prevails (among our nation),” he stated.

The “Zionist entity” has been deterred, Nasrallah continued, saying that Tel Aviv has been trying to build up its military capabilities “in view of its defeat in 2006.”

“Since 2006, the Israelis have been eyeing the resistance and they put defensive plans aimed at confronting a possible attack by Hezbollah to liberate the Galilee,” he asserted.

In his speech, Nasrallah commented on an Israeli officer’s statement that Hezbollah is the second-most powerful army in the region, after the Israeli army. The terrorist leader did not agree with that assessment.

Hezbollah, “with its capabilities, experience, faith, will and bravery is stronger than ever before,” Nasrallah stated. “We are not the most powerful army in the region, but surely we are stronger than the Israeli army, for the issue is not a matter of capabilities but a matter of faith.”

Islamic ‘Resistance’ and Israeli Plots

He then accused Israel of repeatedly attempting to topple the Syrian government.

“Israel has been a real partner in the Syrian war through its support for the militant groups in the Syrian south,” he said. “Israeli officials said it is clear that a Damascus fall serves their interests, but all these dreams have gone with the wind.”

“The era when Israel can impose its conditions is over,” he declared.

Remarking on the situation in Gaza, Nasrallah said that Israel is facing an impasse, because “despite being besieged and abandoned, it [Gaza] is firm and still offers sacrifices every day.”

He then turned his focus to US President Donald Trump’s not-yet-revealed peace “deal of century,” noting that it “faces real problems,” that all Palestinians reject it and that “no Palestinian leader can bear responsibility of signing a deal that recognizes Al-Quds [Jerusalem] as capital of the Zionist entity.”

Nasrallah alleged that sanctions imposed by the US on Iran are aimed at “creating public anger against the Islamic establishment there,” but that the Islamic Republic “is more powerful today, and US attempts to topple the Islamic establishment will go in vain.”

Last week the US began restoring sanctions that were lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, from which Trump withdrew in May. The renewed sanctions are meant to pressure Tehran to halt its support for international terrorism, including Hezbollah, as well as its military activity in the Middle East and ballistic missile programs.

Iran has been transferring $1 billion annually to Hezbollah. Due to budget difficulties, this figure was reduced to $800 million in the past year.

Nasrallah admitted in 2016 that “we are open about the fact that Hezbollah’s budget, its income, its expenses, everything it eats and drinks, its weapons and rockets, are from the Islamic Republic of Iran.”